Japanese Theme For A Water Garden or Koi Pond
Gardening Project
Some
plants that will fit the overall Japanese theme for a koi pond are
discussed below. Of course Japan and koi are synonymous and we've
all seen those magnificent landscape paintings of immaculate, well
laid out obviously Japanese gardens. Somehow we can recognize a
Japanese garden theme from miles away.
What is it that makes these Japanese garden styles so different,
harmonious and special? Why is the Japanese water garden such
a well respected form of koi pond and ornamental lake landscaping?
The first point is that formal gardens in Japan are created from
very few types of plans. Unlike the UK gardening scene where variety
is everything this is not the case in Japan koi gardens especially.
By the way many British plants originate in Japan.
Westerners can best add a Japanese touch to their own garden ponds
and water features by thinking of getting back to nature.
This is what you see in well themed Japanese gardens... natural
shapes and forms which capture the essence of the natural world and
manage to concentrate this into what are very small spaces (land is
extremely expensive in Japan) and turn that small space in a
beautiful little aquatic landscape.
Japanese use hard materials as well as plants to create the water
garden themes ... pebbles, boulders and the like. Pond landscaping
with plant material is shaped using special pruning methods. And
Japanese koi ponds have sophisticated koi pond filters (vortex
filters and Japanese matting) that keep the water clean, healthy
and crystal clear.
Japanese Garden Plants
The Japanese like the planted garden to be slow growing. They
strive for a landscape that evokes symbols and especially ones
relating to times of the year or the seasons. Of course each season
is characterised by change ... in colour, in flower and in leaf.
So spring sees a profusion of flowering Cherry blossoms (like the
Yoshino Cherry, or the Japanese
Apricot) and then the majestic Camellias. In Autumn there is
magnificent dying colours of the maple leaves. In the UK we welcome
the vibrant colours of rhododendrons (dwarf type suits Japanese
gardens best) and acid loving Azaleas.
Pines like the Red Pine, the Black Pine, Pinus
thunbergii are pruned to create shapes and features. Screening
plants include bamboos and ground cover is usually just
bright green moss.
Other Suggested Plants for the Japanese Themed Koi Pond or Water
Garden
The following plants according to
Peter J May will
create an essentially Japanese look.
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Take for instance the trees Cornus controversa variegata, Malus x zumi (a Japanese Crab apple),
or the shrubs like Hydrangea macrophylla, the Cotoneasters,
Chaenomeles, Fatsias, Kerria, Magnolias, Loniceras, Spiraeas and
Viburnum plicatum 'Maresii' (the Wedding cake tree).
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Perennials can include the Japanese Irises, hostas, Primula
sieboldii, chrysanthemums, some asters, Peonies, Hemerocallis and
Polygonums. This is only a small selection of possibilities but enough to get you going.
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